Flush-valve for water-closets.



' A. c. JACKSON.

Patented July 20, 1915.

I J I I r llllll. -ll|||||||l|l|lll|llltll :5 w \Mw FLySQl VALVE F08WATER CLOSETS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 1. 1914.

as raw @FFIGE.

ALBERT G. JACKSON, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

FLTISH-VALVE FOR WATER-CLOSETS.

- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Julygfi, 1915.

Application filed October 1, 1914. Serial No. 864,516.

My invention relates to flush tanks forwater closets and moreparticularly to means for automatically controlling the supply or inletvalve thereof.

The object of the invention is to simplify the structure as well as themeans and mode cf operation of such devices whereby they will not onlybe cheapened in construction but will be more efficient in use, positivein action, easily controlled and unlikely to get out of repair.

In flush tanks, as usually constructed, the supply or inlet valve isunder the control of a float, which, as the water within the tank rises,gradually closes the valve until the predetermined level is reached atwhich point thevalve will be completely seated. In such constructionsthe relation of the inlet valve with its seat varies constantly with thequantity of water in the tank. As the water in the tank approaches therequired level the supply of water is gradually diminished by theapproach of the valve toward its seat. This prolongs the period of thefilling operation and as the valve approaches more closely to its seatproduces a shrill,disagreeable, whistling or screeching sound.

The object of the present invention is to provide means by which thetank will be rapidly refilled thus reducing the period of filling tominimum. Thisis accomplished by providing means for maintaining thesupply or inlet valve in wide open position during the entire fillingoperation and'permitting it to suddenly and quickly 'seat itself at thetermination of the filling period,

thus eliminating the, disagreeable noise before mentioned. 1

Withthe above primary and other incidental objects in view, aswill'rhorefully appear in the specification, the invention consist'soof thefeatures of construction, the

parts and cqmbinations thereof, and. the mode of operation, or theirequivalents as hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

Referring to the-. fpirawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view ofan assembled flush tank embodying the mechanism forming the subjectmatter hereof. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the supply orinlet valve in its operating connections. Figs. 3,

4. and 5 are detail views of modifications of the valve locking means.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughoutthe several views.

In constructions of this character it is customary to control themovement of the supply'or inlet valve in opening and closing by means ofa float which in turn is controlled by the variatiori of the water levelwithin the tank. Inthe present instance it is to be noted that, while afloat is employed, it does not actuate the valve in either direction.Thesupply or inlet valve, as hereinafter described, is opened by manualeffort and is closed at the termination of the filling period bytheinfluence of the pressure of the water supply upon the valve togetherwith the weight of the valve. The sole object of the float in thepresent case is to lock the valve in its open position after it has beeninitially operated and torelease the valve when the water level in thetank has reached a predetermined level.

In the drawings, 1 is the tank provided with the inlet conduit 2 and theoutlet or flush conduit 3. The flush conduit 3 is controlled by theordinary ball valve 4 connected by a jointed link 5 with'one end of thepivoted operating lever 6. This lever is fulcrumed to a suitable bracketat Tand.

is oscillated by the usual pull chain or cord 8. This 1s the usualconstruction by which the flush valve is operated and forms no part ofthe present invention. It is obvi-' ous that any other form of flushvalve or operating means therefor may be employed.

Theinlet or supply conduit 2 terminates in a head 9 provided with areciprocatory' valve 10 which-controls the admission of the water to thetank. This valve 10 is, provided with a suitable seat 11 within the head9 and is further provided with an extended valve stem 12 which projectsbeyond the head. The valve may be guided in its movement to and from itsseat by any suitable means. In 1 the drawings the valve is shownprovided with a supplemental stem 13 which reciprocates in a suitableopening within the closure plug or cap 14 of the head 9.

The supply or inlet valve 10 is lifted from its seat 11 to admit acharge of water to the tank simultaneously with the opening of the flushvalve 4. This movement of the valve is accomplished by means of astirrup 5 suspended from the operating lever 6 with which the lower endof the valve stem 12'engages. The connection of the stirrup 15 v withthe lever 6, however, is a slotted or yielding connection as at 16whereby. the lever 6 and the flush valve 4 are permitted to return tonormal position independent of the inlet or supply valve 10, which isheld in elevated or' open position by the locking means hereinaftermentioned. It will thus 15 be noted that the valves are openedsimultaneously but are closed independent one of the other. H w V Tomaintain the inlet or supply valve 10 in its elevated or open positionafter the 20 lever 6 and valve 4 have returned to normal position, thereis provided locking means controlled by the float 17 In the construction shown in Fig. 1 the locking means comprises an oscillatory,arcuate, shouldered or oflset head 18 to which the float 17 is rigidlyconnected by a radially disposed arm 19. The float 17 is-normally' heldin an elevated position by the engagement of the. shoulder or oflsethead 18 against the side of thes'tirrup 15. When the stirrup 15, andvalve 10 have been elevated by theoscillation of the operating lever 6to a point above the'level of the oscillatory locking head 18, theelevated float 17 is permitted tofall thereby bringing the arcuateportion of the head 18 beneath the stirrup 15 which is thereby locked inits elevated position where it holds the valve 10 unseated. The slottedconnection 16 of the operating lever 6 permits the 40 return of thelever independent of the stiris the water is discharged from the tankthrough the flush opening 3 the float 17 continues to descend until the,flush opening is closed by the seating of the ball valve .4.

During this interval the water is being discharged into the tank fromthe supply-con;

duit 2. This water passes through the tank and out through the flushopening 3 providing a supply of water supplemental to that originallycontained in the tank. After the flush opening 3 is closed the supply ofwater is retained withinthe tank and the float 17 ascends as the waterlevel rises.

The ascent' of the float 17 oscillates the locking head 18 until it ismoved entirely out of the path of the stirrup 15 permitting the stirrupand valve to fallunder the influ- 0 ity. Thus the valve 10 is held inwide open position during the entire filling operation position duringthe filling operation shortens provided a water outlet or overflowconduit 20 at the normal water level @002. This overflow'or' outletconduit 20 is of less capacity than the inlet or supply conduit 2. The

result is that the surplus water will not escape through the overflow 20as fast as it enters through the conduit 2. This causes the water tocollect within the tank 'to a point above the normal level or to alevel'i indicated at yy. The locking head 18 is so adjusted in relationwith the float 17 that it 1 will not release the stirrup 15 and valve 10until the float 17 has been elevated above the normal level was by thesurplus water discharged into the tank. In other words, the head 18 willnot release the valve until the float is elevated to a position shown insolid lines in Fig. 1 bythe rise ofthe surplus water to the level' yy.When the water reaches this level w the head 18 releases the stirrup andpermits the valve 10 to close. The supply of water being thus cut off,the surplus water within the tank between. the levels am and g y ispermitted to escape through the outlet 20 which leaves the float 17suspended above the normal water level 0am. The float is maintainedinthis suspended or elevated position by the engagement of the head 18uponthe side of the stirrup 15. The construction is such that upon theelevation of the stirrup the weight of the float 17 causes it to fall tothe water level as at 17' and thereby draw the head 18 into lockingposition. This movement is accomplished very quickly. It is obvious thatthis provision for a supplemental water supply by which the float iselevated above the normal level is unnecessary if means are provided formaintaining the flush valve 4 open for a suflicient period of time topermit thefloat 17 to fall with the water level to bring the head 18into locking position. However, the construction before describedwherein the float 17 is held in elevated position by the engagement ofthe locking head with the stirrup and falls by gravity to lock the valveinsures a prompt operation of the v parts. ence of the water pressureassisted by grav- While the arcuate or concentric pivoted head 18provides an economical and convenient form of locking deviceymany modi-.fications of this construction may bemade without departing from thespirit of the invention. In Fig. 3 there is shown'a simple modificationin which the pivoted float arm 19 is provided with a hook arm 21 rigidlyconnected with the arm 19 and moving in unison therewith. This hook arm21 normally engages against the side of the stirrup 15 as shown indotted lines in said Upon the elevation of the stirrup and the valve theoflset or shoulder of the hook arm 21 is projected beneath the stirrupby the falling action of the float thereby maintaining the stirrup andvalve in elevated position until the water level rises to apredetermined level whereupon the float, in rising with the water level,withdraws the hook arm from beneath the stirrup and permits the valveand stirrup to descend.

In Fig. 1 there is shown a further modification employing areciprocatory bolt or slide 22 actuated by the oscillatory movement ofthe arm 19 which carries a rock arm 23 connected with the slide 22. Theconstruction is such that the shoulder or offset 21 ofthe slide 22normally rests against the side of the stirrup. When the stirrup andvalve are elevated above the level of the slide, however, the float,falling by gravity, oscillates the rock arm 23 to draw the slide 22beneath the stirrup and so maintain the stirrup and valve in operativeposition.

While the oscillatory lever 6, which is a common and well known form ofoperating device, provides a convenient method of operating the valve,it is obviousthat valve operating means of the push button type which isalso in common use may be employed. In Fig. 5 there is shown aconstruction of this type employing an oscillatory bell crank 25, onearm ofwhich is engaged beneath the stem 12 of the valve 10. The otherarm of the bell crank is provided with an arcuate face in which islocated an offset orshoulder 26. In this construction the oscillatoryarm 19 is projected beyond its pivotal point and is provided with atooth or hook 27 normally engaging the arcuate face of the bell crank 25but which will be projected into the offset or shoulder 26 by thefalling movement of the float when the bell crank has been oscillated bythe reciprocatory movement of the button 28. The oscillatory movement ofthe bell crank 25 elevates the valve 10 to admit the supply of water.The bell crank is held in its oscillated position and thus the valve 10held open by the engagement of the hook or tooth 27 in the shoulder orofl'set 26. Upon the refilling of the tank the upward oscillation of thefloat by the rise of the water level will disengage the tooth or detent27 from the shoulder 26 thereby per mitting the parts to return tonormal position. It is thus obvious that the details of construction maybe indefinitely modified without materially changing the operation ofthe parts nor the result accomplished.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thusprovided a device of the character described, possessing the particularfeatures of advantage before enumerated as desirable but which obviouslyis susceptible of modification in its form, pro-- portion, detailconstruction or arrangement of parts without departing from theprinciple involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention hasbeendescribedin language more or less specific as to certain structural features, itis to be understood that the invention is not limited to any specificdetails but that the means and construction herein described comprisebut one mode of putting the invention into efiect, and the invention istherefore claimed broadly in any of its possible forms or modificationswithin the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, a reservoir, a flushvalve, a supply valve, means for simultaneously opening both valves bymanual eflort, and means for automatically holding the inlet valve opensubsequent to the closing of the flush valve.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, a reservoir, a flushvalve, a supply valve, an operator common to both valves forsimultaneously opening the valves, and a yielding connection whereby theflush valve may close in advance of the supply valve.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, a reservoir, an inletvalve therefor, means for manually opening the valve, a lock for thevalve adapted to maintain the valve in operated position until thecontents of the reservoir reach a predetermined level.

1. In an apparatus of the character described. a reservoir, a supplyvalve, means for locking the valve in open position, and means forreleasing the valve when the contents of the reservoir have reached apredetermined level.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, a reservoir, a supplyvalve, means for locking the valve in open position, and a floatactuated by the rise of the contents within the reservoir for-releasingthe valve when the contents have reached a predetermined level.

6. In an apparatus of'the character described, a supply valve, a detentto lock the valve in open position, and a float controlling the movementof the detent.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, a reservoir, a supplyvalve, a lock for maintaining the valve in open position, and a buoyantweight operating by gravity to set the lock and operating by itsbuoyancy to release the lock when the contents of the reservoir haverisen to a predetermined level.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, a reservoir, a supplyvalve therefor, an oscillatory arm, a buoyant Weight carried by the armand a detent for the supply valve moved into locking position When thearm is moved in one direction and out of engagement with the valve whenmoved in the opposite direction.

9. In an apparatus of the character described, a reservoir, a supplyvalve therefor adapted to admit to the reservoir an excess of fluid, adetent for the valve, a buoyant control member for the detent, means fordetaining the'buoyant control member in its elevated position to whichit is raised by the excess of fluid admitted, and a-discharge for theexcess fluid.

10. In an apparatus of the character described, a reservoir, 2. supplyvalve therefor, a detent for the valve, a buoyant control member for thedetent, means for elevating the buoyant control member above the normalfluid level of the reservoir, and means for maintaining the controlmember in elevated position until the valve is opened.

11. In an apparatus of the character described, a reservoir, a supplyvalve therefor, a detent for locking the supply valve normally held ininoperative position, and means actuating the detent to operativeposition upon the opening of the valve.

12. In an apparatus of the character de-. scribed, a reservoir, a supplyvalve therefor,

-av detent for the valve and a float controlling the detent, adaptedbyits descending movement tocause said detent to lock the valve and byits ascending movement to release the valve.

13. In an apparatus of the character described, a reservoir, a supplyvalve therefor, and a buoyant control member adapted to lock the valveby its initial falling movement and to release the valve at the limit ofits rising movement.

14. In an apparatus of thecharacter described, a reservoir, a supplyvalve therefor, a buoyant control member and a locking detent controlledby the buoyant member and operatively engaged with the valve during theinterval between the movement of the control member from normal positionuntil its return thereto.

15. In an apparatus of the character described, a reservoir, a supplyvalve therefor, a float controlling the closing of the valve, means foropening the valve independent of the float, the float being capable ofrising movement in unison with the rise of the fluid level within thereservoir independent of the valve.

16. In an apparatus of the character described, a. reservoir, a supplyvalve therefor, and a buoyant control member for the valve, lockedagainst movement until the initial operation of the valve, and means forlooking the valve against return movement until the completion of themovement of the buoyant control member.

17. In an apparatus of the character described, a reservoir, a supplyvalve therefor opened by manual effort and closed by fluid pressure, afloat, and means for preventing the closing movement of the valve untilthe float has reached a predetermined position,

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 26th dayof-September A. D., 1914.

ALBERT o. JACKSON.

\Vitnesses A. IV. SCHULMAN, CARRIE M. BECKER.

